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Robbie and Watches
Reviews and photos from beautiful timepieces
Welcome to Robbie & Watches. when I started this project my idea was to learn about watches in general but I ended up falling for photography and horology, not a bad combination. Please ask me any questions about any watch (not only the ones featured here) I will try do my best to help. I hope you enjoy this site as much as I do.
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About
Why watches?
What fascinates you? For me, it’s watches and photography (mostly watches), that feeling of taking an incredible picture of a truly unique object brings me great satisfaction.
I have seen many watch blogs and I am sure that almost all of them have a different view on the watch industry, here is my position:
I love all kinds of watches, people seem fixated with Pateks, AP, Vacherons . One day I hope to have the privilege to review incredible brands like these but it wouldn't make me love watches more than I do now, this blog is not to show off how much I spend on watches or what is a good/bad watch, this site is about what an average Joe thinks about a mid range/high end pieces and hopefully take a beautiful photo of it. I hope you can relate and enjoy this little project.
Roberto
P.S: all pictures are my own
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"Time is what we want most but what we use worst"
William Penn
Latest Reviews
The legend, and why we still chase it - BYOP Maverick
The Orfina Porsche Design Chronograph 1 from 1972 is one of those watches that genuinely changed the direction of modern design. Porsche took the logic of a 911 dashboard and turned it into a wristwatch that was built for use rather than for show. The matte black PVD case was the big statement, it killed reflections, boosted legibility, and looked like nothing else at the time. Collectors still love it because it was a true first, because it sits right at the start of the “st
23 hours ago
Bright Summer Watch, Minimalist Wear: Milifortic S117
The perfect warm-weather watch is bright without being daft. You want a proper hit of colour on the dial, turquoise, orange, sunshine yellow, and of course red, something that looks at home by the sea or in a pub garden. It also needs to be legible, with big, bold numerals, strong contrast, and decent lume so you can read it at a glance in full sun or when it turns a bit gloomy later on. It should feel playful, but still like a serious tool rather than a novelty. Just as impo
3 days ago
One year after – Helicon MUSTARD Chronograph
There are a few watches that stay in your head. Maybe it’s the design, maybe it’s the fit, but one thing’s for sure, you always feel the urge to put them back on. That’s been the case with the Helicon MUSTARD Chronograph, which I reviewed a long time ago here.Its tool-watch nature, not only in the way it looks but also in the way it performs, stuck with me for ages after the first prototypes left my house. Even without the final version in front of me, all those impressions k
Jun 10
The Salmon Dial Effect - Wecord The Duke
In my previous review of the Duke here and I mentioned that fashion brands are catching up, and nothing makes that more obvious than a release like this salmon-dial variant from Wecord. It might sound like a small change, just another colourway, but it signals something more important, the brand clearly knows its audience, and it knows there are watch nerds paying attention. Their newest Duke variant with a salmon dial is outstanding, it is appealing in its own right, but th
Jun 6
Colour, Precision, and Motorsport Style:Geylang Apex Chronograph
Being different is not a gimmick in watchmaking, it is often the quickest route to something better. A colourful, compact chronograph does not just stand out in a sea of predictable designs, it works harder for the wearer. When a watch is designed with personality and restraint at the same time, it becomes the kind of piece you actually reach for, easy to wear, easy to read, and instantly recognisable as yours. That approach suits motorsport perfectly, because racing is decid
Jun 5
When future meets the classic – MONOGRIIS Resta
In watches, value is key for me, but there are other characteristics that matter too. Design is important, of course, but size, quality and simplicity—though subjective—also play a major role when choosing my next piece. Vintage watches often have the perfect proportions, but as time passes they can become less reliable and, aesthetically, they tend to deteriorate. So what if you could have the best of both worlds? This is an idea many brands have explored lately, and the res
Jun 3
Shaped and ready to evolve – The Trémont L003
Evolution is a big part of any brand. Watch brands should evolve because the world changes, and if a watch brand stays exactly the same forever, people eventually move on. It’s not that older watch designs aren’t good (they usually are), but buyers want watches that suit modern life whilst still keeping that classic feel. Rather than making big changes that might ruin what people liked in the first place, there’s a simpler alternative: smaller updates to the look. Keep the sa
May 30
The perfect traveller companion – Marloe SkySplitter
For those of us in the watch community, there are plenty of specifications that make us smile. I’m not sure why we’re built this way, but we’re spec-driven beasts. When it comes to GMT watches, we often forget the limitations of the movements and how they affect the size, proportions, and even the look of the dial. Instead, we become more critical, and perhaps that’s tied to the price tags on the watches being offered. The quest for the perfect diver is easy to define: size p
May 27
Bridging the gap quite nicely – Namoki Mods NMK03 YachtMaster
If there’s one watch that has always eluded my wrist, it’s the Rolex Yacht‑Master. There’s no single reason—I’ve just never pulled the trigger on this model, even though in my head it’s one of my favourites. There are a few reasons for this hesitation. Despite being one of the easier Rolex sports watches to buy (thanks to availability), it also holds its value very consistently on the secondary market, so there aren’t many bargains. On top of that, the Yacht‑Master is positio
May 21
A tribute to an unsung hero – Baltany 1926 Oyster Tribute
There are heroes no one talks about, and watchmaking is no different. With watches, everyone talks about the dial—how it looks—and then the movement: what features it has, how it winds. Even bezels get their fair share of praise among watch nerds. But one area we often forget is the case. It seems unfair, but it is what it is. The case isn’t just overlooked when it comes time to choose a watch; it’s often ignored entirely. Sure, if the shape is odd enough or the watch doesn’t
May 18
Green and very much Upgraded - WishDoit Nereus Facet
Small improvements always make sense, especially when it comes to watches. The diver category is one of those corners of watchmaking that’s genuinely hard to improve, mainly because the refinement it has received since the 1960s has been extensive. That said, there’s no reason progress can’t continue, and WishDoit has created what is, to me, their most ambitious diver to date, the Nereus Facet. Not too long ago they surprised us with the Prism collection, and it was nothing s
May 14
Going for a real trip, The Grand Voyage by DeSanders Horologie
Precision timing has always been a quest in watchmaking, measuring time to the second can be traced back for eons, but there is one chapter that many people forget, the need for precision timing on railways its a very important place for us watchnerds. Precision timing was crucial to the railway system, because trains shared the same tracks and stations, even small delays could create dangerous conflicts or major disruptions. Accurate standardized timekeeping allowed railways
May 10
New Ideas in Refinement, DeLugs Micro Adjust CTS Deployant Clasp
Refinement is everything. Once your brain adapts to what you already know, it is easy to forget that things can be much better. Small refinements might not seem game changing on their own, but add a few of them to a product and the overall effect becomes undeniable, you cannot go back. This is what DeLugs has been doing over the past few years, making small changes that steadily improve the wearing experience. This improvement mentality is admirable, setting small goals and e
May 8
A compact and affordable triple calendar? Yes, please, the JPW Moonphase Triple Calendar
There’s a simple rule in the watch world, the more complicated a watch is, the more expensive it tends to be. Brands need significant R&D, and managing the sheer number of components is challenging, especially when everything has to fit into a small case. I’m not saying larger watches are “easy” to manufacture, but size can make certain complications less demanding to package. That’s where quartz movements come in, they allow brands to offer a more approachable price point an
May 7
Ready to Eat the Competition – the Quantum Barracuda BAR1208
The watch hobby has undeniably become a spec-driven space. Many people complain that instead of asking whether you like a watch, the first question is how it performs. There is a downside to that, because a watch now has to meet certain baseline standards before someone can say, “It’s great, but…” That said, there’s a major upside: enthusiasts benefit. The bar is so high that even big brands get called out, and rightly so—it’s hard to justify a four-figure price tag when basi
May 4
The future is bright and orange – Borealis Porto Covo Nazaré – Limited Edition Cerakote Case
Like every watch enthusiast, I enjoy the mainstream side of watches. Even if many people feel the need to be different, I love the good old “boring” stuff. But when I started writing about watches, I always wanted to experience a different side of the hobby—not the usual black-dial round watch, but an explosion of creativity. For that, the microbrand scene is the best place to look. One of the oldest brands I reviewed was Borealis. The Portuguese brand has been around for a w
May 1
Heritage and know how – Aristo Pilot 38 burnished Automatic Type A
There’s something special about pilot watches, the way they’re made, and the history behind them. The main reason is that “Fliegers,” or pilot’s watches, were built for a purpose, a real one. That’s not to say chronographs and divers don’t have a sense of responsibility, but pilot watches were critical instruments for survival, they weren’t made for recreational activities. Leaving history aside and focusing purely on looks, Fliegers can be one of the most attractive proposit
Apr 28
Let’s get summer ready – WishDoit Triton Prism
Summer is around the corner and, with that in mind, one of the best categories to enjoy is dive watches. Not only are they durable enough for the beach, the mountains, or any other activity you can throw at them, but they’re also stylish. There’s always one issue, though, because of the constraints of diving certification standards, dive watches usually look the same, there isn’t much room for flair. Keeping this thought, Wishdoit just launched their new diver collection, the
Apr 17
Building something special – DIY Pilot Watch
Heritage is everything in watchmaking. Where your watch comes from, and the design cues behind it, are what we enthusiasts love to dig into, and the “Flieger” (German pilot watch) is a perfect example. Rather than focusing on the full history, let’s concentrate on functionality. There’s no denying these watches were designed for maximum legibility. Britain also played a major role in influencing a newer design language, more streamlined than the German A-dials, and one that u
Apr 15
Making the 90s great again – The Argonaut from Tennet Watch Corporation
Styles are cyclical, everything that was hot at some point becomes lame and after a while, like a zombie it raises from the most obscure places. This thought applies to almost every industry like fashion, food and of course our beloved watch hobby. A few years back, everything from the 60s was considered amazing, small proportions and attention to details. We then saw how integrated steel sport watches from the 70s dominated (and still are) the watch scene, and now, we are se
Apr 13
Shaping an unique proposition – The Feynman Q
We have seen plenty of watches using unique shapes, from ovals, rectangles and of course the traditional round ones, but what if someone decided to do go against the rules, create its own shape? Let’s dig in a bit more about this thought because is not easy, designers and watchmakers usually combat the idea of both working in unison, it is a similar process of building a house. The architect will go and design the most outstanding and lavish design ever created only to be gro
Apr 9
In the Metal: Out of order Forma Venti Jump Hour
When we think of Out of Order, we usually think of those aged, derelict cases and dials that look like they should belong in a museum but are somehow still functional. This time, though, the Venice-based house has come up with something completely different: The Venti. Venti means twenty in Italian, and that was not chosen at random because this new product takes design inspiration from the 20s to recreate something very unique. Specifically, the Venti appears to have taken a
Apr 7
Mix of gold and craft – Wancher Gurkha Kanazawa 18K Gold
The word affordability and craft, at least in watches is separated by miles and miles. Mainly because human dedication goes against industrialization, there is little space for profitability when manual intervention takes place, unless the prices go up accordingly. This is not the first watch from Wancher that I review and the attention to details plus their stubbornness to keep prices low is always special to encounter. Today we are doing a review of their Gurkha Kanazawa, a
Apr 4
Quality and execution – Albedo Solaris Chronograph
It is always a joy to have a new brand feature on our site, this mean that the microbrand space is healthy and that enthusiasm is still in vogue. And enhancing the last point, enthusiasm is what drives Albedo, a brand founded in the Netherlands with a missing to bring quality and affordability to anew audience. We must say that this is a statement made by many brands and it is really hard to deliver, because low prices mean that at some point you have to compromise on certain
Mar 30
Some Beautiful Shots
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